Chapter: 488
Kuooo!
The moment Yuden heard the distant roar of the dragon, she braced herself for the impending tremors.
This is definitely Dragon’s Breath.
The strongest species that exists on the surface.
A beast once revered as a god.
Having worked as a mercenary and faced dragons, Yuden anticipated what would happen the instant she heard the cry, and her prediction came true.
The ground trembles. The vibrations starting deep within the earth torment the land, shaking the feet of those standing above.
When the sudden earthquake destabilized everyone, Yuden saw several openings to dive in, but instead of brandishing her sword, she took a step back.
Those behind her had also lost their balance.
Hmm. Judging by their flustered expressions over there, it seems the followers of the Evil God aren’t causing any trouble.
Has something changed?
As Yuden pondered what might be happening, she remembered the audacious little brat who brought her here.
Just moments ago, he slipped away somewhere and seems to be up to something.
But if he’s going to do something sneaky, he should do it quietly! What kind of mess is he trying to create like this?
“Duchess Partlan. Is it time yet?”
I don’t know what he’s planning, but if even Prete trusts him, I should help.
Thinking she might swing her sword if she needs more time, Yuden was surprised by Joy’s response.
After a brief pause, she quickly spoke up.
“Sword Saint. Could you possibly disturb the concentration of that mimic of the magic headmaster?”
“Do you think that would resolve it?”
“Yes.”
The moment the ground shook, Joy felt her magic reforming.
The way the imposter of the headmaster was disrupting her was far less refined than the actual headmaster.
So, if her concentration was broken even for a moment, she could manifest her magic. When Joy nodded in confirmation, Yuden shrugged.
“That’s easy then.”
“If you’re going to plan something, you should whisper a bit more, shouldn’t you? We have ears too.”
A mimic of Luca interjected in a playful tone, but Yuden just laughed.
“So?”
“Eh?”
“What can you do with the knowledge you have?”
Knowing what the opponent would do definitely brings an advantage.
However, if the gap between the two sides is overwhelmingly vast, the advantage of information means nothing.
Can knowing that lightning strikes from the sky stop it?
Can knowing that a tsunami will flood the land provide any means for a mere human to act?
Can a human escape fate just because they know death is coming for them?
“Do you think the position of ‘Sword Saint’ is a joke?”
When Yuden let out a light laugh and raised her sword, the mimic of Luca sensed his impending death.
He didn’t know why.
It was impossible to answer if asked what he was afraid of.
He couldn’t figure out where the problem lay.
But one thing was certain. The moment that sword descended from above.
The simplest motion even a child wielding a wooden sword could perform would happen.
Just like the executioner’s axe falling.
He would see his head roll onto the floor.
If he anticipated the outcome of death, he should have taken some measures, but the mimic of Luca could do nothing at all.
Even imagining swinging a sword.
Even imagining fleeing backward.
Even lying flat on the ground.
Even using his comrades as shields.
The sword chased him to the end and cut his head off.
In the end, all the mimic of Luca could do was watch his neck be sliced by the descending sword.
I’m dying.
I’m dying.
So hopelessly.
Without achieving anything.
Not even being able to see the Evil God returning the world to nothing.
Dreaming of ruling in that hell alone, he dies.
“Oh wow. Amazing. Is this what it means to be the Duchess of Partlan?”
The one who had unknowingly closed their eyes opened them slightly after hearing Yuden’s calm voice.
At first, the man felt relieved that he had survived.
Then he realized his thoughts had strayed far from that lunatic Luca and hurriedly looked around.
Finally, he was horrified to confirm that others had also escaped the Power of Void.
“Thanks to the Sword Saint. If you hadn’t drawn their attention, I wouldn’t have been able to do anything.”
“Thank you for saying that. To be honest, I had no expectations.”
“…What?”
Yuden, hearing Joy’s bewilderment, stepped forward.
At this moment, everything that had obstructed Yuden’s senses vanished.
She could clearly see the followers of the Evil God and the children they encircled.
Now, there was only one thing left to do.
To swing her sword.
And show them the place where her faith dwells.
One sword strike was swung. A head fell.
Another sword strike was swung. A body collapsed.
Thus, the last one remaining was the man who had just been mimicking Luca and was now waiting for death with a pitiful face.
“Now. My friend. I have a few questions for you.”
“Kill me! No matter what tricks you pull, I won’t answer!”
“Haha. You’re under some delusion. Just wanting to die doesn’t give you the right to. You don’t have that right, you trash believing in the Evil God.”
With a murderous grin, Yuden approached the man, untied the child bound to him, and kicked him down to the ground.
“Duchess Partlan. Saintess. Could you turn your heads for a moment? It’s not exactly a pretty sight.”
“I won’t worry at all. Sadly, I’m used to it.”
“…I’m not as used to it as Phoebe, but it’s fine. After all, I’m the Duchess of Partlan.”
“Well then, understood.”
Yuden’s grip on her sword tightened, and soon after, the man’s scream echoed through the air.
*
“What is this place?”
“Just the remnants of a pathetic Sympathy Wizard that stayed here a while back. Can’t you smell the sympathy wafting from everywhere?”
“…What does ‘sympathy smell’ even mean?”
Well, that’s just something the Mesugaki Skill blurted out randomly, so I’m not sure either. Maybe something akin to a night-blooming flower scent?
Thinking that, I shrugged and walked past the crumbled wall.
[So, something’s been sealed here.]
‘Do you feel anything?’
[No. Nothing detected. But I’m familiar with the antics of that Erginius brat.]
My grandfather’s words carried a tinge of nostalgia as he looked over what was etched in the corridor.
[So, what kind of thing is hidden here?]
‘Considering how the followers of the Evil God are attacking with gritted teeth, I think you can guess?’
<...Don’t tell me. Evil God Agra is...>
‘Yes. That’s correct. To be precise, it’s the place where that fragment is sealed.’
Agra, who became the focal point of the Evil Gods, possessed immense authority enough to stand against the Lord Armadi.
A creature of overwhelming presence among dozens of deifications.
Sealing such a being wouldn’t be the same as sealing other Evil Gods.
Even after a lengthy battle, its authority wouldn’t vanish.
‘The heroes, including my grandfather, chose to seal Agra’s authority rather than subdue him.’
The heroes triumphed against the Evil God, but that victory could never be permanent.
Realizing this, the heroes opted to delay the worst outcomes instead of gambling away.
With the Lord’s help, they chose to shred many of the Evil God’s possessions and seal them in different places.
‘This is one of those places.’
In conclusion, their choice was indeed correct. The torn authority of Evil God Agra had not fully regained its power even to this day.
And it likely wouldn’t in the future.
As long as the seal of the Soul Academy doesn’t crumble, and I’m here, Agra can do nothing but send me messages like a keyboard warrior, revealing its pitiful nature.
[Wait. Wait a minute. If what you’re saying is true, isn’t what Lucy is trying to do a very dangerous act!? By spilling the beans on what they’re searching for, you've basically told them!]
‘Do you really think I wasn’t aware of that?’
[But!]
‘If I can’t trust myself, I can trust Lord Erginius. Don’t you think he wouldn’t have set proper safety measures?’
Having attempted to penetrate this place countless times, I could confidently say.
There’s no way to reach the sealed location recklessly.
Even if I were to drag Erginius’s skeleton from the middle of the desert here, he wouldn’t reach the seal!
Even if you got to the seal, that’s just as far as you’d get.
The traps laid beneath are heinous.
Ah, of course, there’s brute force, but that’s not something you can casually try in reality.
When it’s on the other side of a monitor, a single mistake could lead to retrying, but reality isn’t that forgiving.
Even a rotten soul like mine thinks of gambling with their life; imagine what others would think.
Without a doubt, the followers of the Evil God would be wiped out within 10 seconds if they headed down there.
<...For you to say it like that. What the hell has Erginius been up to?>
‘Doing his best to eliminate intruders. Well.’
While conversing with my grandfather, I kept moving my feet and reached my target location in just a few minutes.
“Here it is.”
It’s the place where magic conveys power to the academy’s barrier.
“The place where the weak old Soladin and the Sympathy Wizard made a pact.”
This place, where the power flowing from the seal of Evil God Agra is purified and sent to the academy’s barrier, is one that should have the royal seal to access.
If that royal authority symbol is present, you could visit here without causing any ruckus like before.
Why? Because Erginius entrusted the management of this place to the Soladin royal family.
Through a long contract passed down through blood.
“Now. Pitiful Prince. What can a hopeless person like you do…”
As I was about to say that, seeing Arthur’s face made me lose my words for a moment.
His pupils had lost their vitality.
Just as someone fallen prey to an illusion would be.
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